West Dennis Garden Club

 ~ The West Dennis Garden Club ~

 

​

The West Dennis Garden Club is the oldest on Cape Cod.

​

 

The West Dennis Garden Club will be 98 on October 7th 2022.

A granite meditation bench and a Kousa Dogwood tree

was dedicated as a gift to the Town of Dennis.​

​

 

West Dennis Garden Club: A 100 Years and Still Growing!

​

On a June afternoon in 1923, inspired by a neighbor’s flower gardens, summer resident, Mrs. George Murray, invited 14 friends to her home to discuss

“General Garden Problems and Pests.” They continued to meet to discuss the best flowers to grow on Cape Cod and, on June 5, 1924, they officially formed

The Garden Club of West Dennis.

​

20’s and 30’s

​

• The Club purchased shrubs for the Dennis Public Library.

• They petitioned the Board of Health to clean up dumping grounds in Old Field Woods, for “the Good of West Dennis.

• The Club appealed to Selectmen for more adequate fire protection for the town and continued the Club’s civic outreach.

• The Tree Warden was successfully petitioned to plant trees on Fisk and School Streets.

• The Club protested to the Board of Selectmen that the town dump is “a menace to health and a fire and safety hazard.”

• The members joined the fight to eradicate ragweed and control mosquitos.

• The Club held a flower show and voted to be part of the Cape Cod Beautiful campaign.

• The Club voted to fund money to the Dennis PTA to provide hot lunches to needy school children.

• Members met with the Dennis Planning Board about unregulated camping grounds, considering them a menace.

 

40’s. and 50’s

​

During World War Two:

• Interest grew in Women’s Home Defense activities.

• The Club started the West Dennis unit of the Red Cross.

• Club members planted Victory Gardens throughout the town and knitted sweaters and made flower arrangements for soldiers at the Camp Edwards Hospital.

• The Club donated black-out curtains for the West Dennis Community Church.

• It purchased an $18.50 Victory Bond.

• The Club contributed to the Seeds for Britain Fund throughout the war.

• On D-Day members held a moment of silence followed by the Lord’s Prayer.

• In 1949, the Club successfully petitioned the U.S. Dept. of Defense to stop the use of Monomoy Island as a bombing and gunnery site.

• The Club continued to hold small flower shows and, in 1951, the WDGC flower show was voted the best of on the Cape.

• The Club sponsored Country Fairs each year in August with a flower show.

• They voted to fund the plantings and grass for the West Dennis Beach Circle.

• In 1958, the Club funded a $250 scholarship at the Regional High School.

• The Club gave 72 Community Improvement awards to residents for improving their gardens.

​

Through the 70’s, ‘80’s & 90’s to the present.

​

• The Club continues to charitably support worthy endeavors.

• In the 70’s, WDGC donated the seed money to fund the Yarmouth Garden Club.

• The Club has donated over $116,000, (in today’s dollars) for academic scholarships and vocational tool-ships.

• It has also given over $86,000, (in today’s dollars) to support charities/organizations such as the Needy Family Fund, the Harwich Family Pantry, Holiday Carnations to Meals on Wheels clients, the West Dennis Library, the Cape Cod Hospital, the Red Cross, and the Dennis Public Library.

• These activities are supported by a plant sale in the Spring, participation in the Cape Cod Hydrangea Festival and an Apple Pie sale in the Fall.

• Members are equally enthusiastic about gardening and serving our community and its needs.

• We continue to welcome new members from all of Cape Cod.

​

And that’s how it all began!

​

​​

​​​​​​

​​

​

SOURCES: from the monthly meetings and Board of Directors meetings

from 1924 to 2024 compiled by Buddy Gillis and Peggy Gillis.